Apparatus for punching record cards or tapes

ABSTRACT

A cyclically operating punching apparatus in which each punch of a row can occupy an inactive position in which it is maintained by an electromagnet when the latter is energized, or an active position into which it is pushed by a spring when the electromagnet is not energized and in which it is subjected to the action of actuating members for performing a punching operation, whereafter it is returned by a return bar into the inactive position in which it is or is not maintained, depending upon whether the electromagnet is energized.

United States Patent DeProux Oct. 10, 1972 [541 APPARATUS FOR PUNCHING RECORD 3,051,377 8/1962 Bradburg ..234/115 CARDS OR TAPES 3,104,053 9/1963 Rabinow ..234/118 X 3,194,494 7/1965 Darwin ..234/115 [72] Invent if? Sevres 3,323,716 6/1967 Rayton et al. ..234/119 e 3,411,709 ll/1968 Masterson ..234/115 [73] Assignee: Societe Industrielle Honeywell Bull, 3,459,370 8/1969 Eissfeldt et a1. ..234/114 Fran FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS [22] 1971 249,658 7/1912 Germany ..234/118 [21] App]. No.1 132,828

, Primary Examiner-James M. Meister Rem"! Attorney-Baldwin, Wight & Brown [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 861,813, Sept. 29,

1969, abandoned. ABSTRACT A cyclically operating punching apparatus in which [30] Fore'gn Apphcauon Pnomy Dam each punch of a row can occupy an inactive position Oct. 23, 1968 France ..68171013 in which it is maintained by an electromaghet when the latter is energized, or an active position into which 52 US. Cl. ..234/118 234/33 234/119 h is Pushed by a Spring when the electmmaghet is [51] Int. Cl. ..G 06k 1/05 and in which it is Subjected to action of 58 Field of Search ..23'4/114 115 118 119 33 'actuatmg members Perfmmmg a Pmchmg tion, whereafter it is returned by a return bar into the inactive position in which it is or is not maintained, [56] References Clted depending upon whether the electromagnet is ener- UNIT ED STATES PATENTS giled- I 2,744,578 5/1956 Mallina ..234/1 18 15 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEDncr 10 I972 SHEET 3 [IF 3 APPARATUS FOR PUNCHING RECORD CARDS on TAPES This is a continuation of the copending application Ser. No. 861,813 filed Sept. 29, 1969 now abandoned.

The present invention relates to improvement in cyclically operating punching apparatus for perforating record cards or .tapes employed, for example, in machines for the transmission or processing of data, as also for the control of machines or other applications.

The use of magnetic, photographic or like recordings makes it possible to obtain ever-increasing speeds in the transmission and recording of data in coded form. However, it is still considered that the recording of data by punching record cards or tapes affords many advantages in many applications, although being less rapid than the aforesaid methods, especially since relatively rapid punching apparatus have now been constructed. Unfortunately, these apparatus have many disadvantages by which their use is still limited. The majority of the known forms thereof are complex, difficult to construct, and of relatively low reliability, while they wear rapidly and are costly to maintain when employed at high speeds. The majority of these machines used for controlling the selection of the perforating punches devices based on a very old general principle known as selection by interposed members. In these devices, the selective actuation of a punch is controlled by means of a movable member which is, or is not, interposed between the punch and a continuously moving actuating member, this taking place under the action of a selection control electromagnet, depending upon whether the latter is energized. Many of the disadvantages encountered in the course of the use of high-speed punching apparatus are most often due to a defective operation of the interposed devices. The present invention. has for its object to obviate these disadvantages and concerns a punching apparatus of simple and robust construction which is capable of operating correctly at relatively very high speeds, of the order of 160-200 cycles per second, with very high operating reliability and remarkable resistance to wear. In a punching mechanism according to the invention, the interposed member, as a movable member situated between the punch and the actuating members of the latter, is replaced by an arrangement in which one member is adapted to perform both the functions of a punch and the function of an interposed member. A cyclically operating punching apparatus according to the invention comprises a series of punches of elongate form which are aligned substantially perpendicularly to the direction of advance of a record card or tape, which is advanced step-by-step past a punching die and comprises guide means, including notably a guide plate, which is adapted to maintain the active ends of the punches substantially opposite the corresponding holes in the die and to define the position of the opposite end of the punches in such manner that the latter may occupy a first inoperative position inclined in relation to a plane perpendicular to the die; a series of electromagnets, each disposed and normally energized to maintain the associated punch in the inoperative position; a series of springs fast with the frame of the apparatus and so adapted that each of the springs can bring the associated punch into a second operative position in the said perpendicular plane when the corresponding electromagnet is selectively de-energized, a depression bar adapted to move in the said perpendicular plane and actuated at each cycle to engage the said opposite end of any punch brought into the second operative position and thus to introduce the active end of the said punch into the corresponding hole in the die; and a return bar which is so arranged and actuated at each cycle as to bring into the first inoperative position any punch which has been rendered operative, motordriven actuating means being provided to effect at each cycle the synchronized displacement of the actuating and return bars.

Further advantages and features of the invention will become more readily apparent in the course of the following description and with reference to the accompanying drawings, which diagrammatically illustrate the main elements of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 1 illustrates in longitudinal section along the line 1-1 of FIG. 2 a punching apparatus adapted to punch record cardscolurrm-by-column,

FIG. 2 illustrates a part of the mechanism of FIG. 1 in section along the line 2-2, and

FIG. 3 is a diagram indicating the relative movements, on the one hand of the punch-depressing bar and of the punch-restoring bar, and on the other hand the movements of the return bar in the course of a number of successive cycles of the machine.

In the punching mechanism illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, record cards 1 are successively advanced in known manner through a guide passage 2. Each card is advanced under a row of punches 3A, 3B, 3C, in which it is engaged at one edge between driving rollers 4 and 5 actuated in known manner by a step-by-step driving mechanism (not shown). The latter is adapted to position the record columns of the card successively under the row of punches of the mechanism, in synchronism with the movements of the members for the selection and actuation of the punches. The latter are each guided at their lower end on the one hand in a slot in a first slotted guide plate 6, which is secured to the frame of the machine, and on the other hand by a counter-plate 7 disposed opposite the slots in the plate 6. The punches are thus positioned opposite a die plate 8 formed with punching orifices. The punches are also each guided, substantially midway of their length, in a slot in a second guide plate 9, which is also fixed. The punches are continuously pushed towards the base of the slots in the guide plates, each by a corresponding leaf spring 10. Situated opposite each punch is an electromagnet 11, of which the armatures l2 and 13 form a part of the magnetic circuit. These armatures are so dimensioned as to define a first position Pl, indicated by dash-dotted lines in FIG. 1, in which the punch is inclined in relation to the vertical (in FIG. 1) in a socalled inoperative position in which the punch is main tained by the electromagnet when the latter is energized. When the electromagnet is de-energized, the punch is urged by the associated spring into a second position P2, called the operative position, in which the upper portion of the punch is engaged between a depression bar 16 and a restoring bar 17, both of which are fast with a movable support 18 provided with levers 19 adapted to pivot about a pin 20 fast with the frame of the machine. The movable support 18 is provided with a roller 21 disposed on a central axis of the apparatus in order to turn about a pin 22 fast with the support 18 and to roll against the periphery of a perforation actuating cam 23 which is keyed on a driving shaft 24 and driven by the latter with a continuous rotational movement in the direction of the arrow F.

In FIG. 2, which shows only a part of the mechanism in section along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1, there is shown an axis X-Y extending through the center of the thickness of the cam 23, through the center of its roller 21 and between the punches 3F and 3G of the mechanism. The axis X-Y also extends through the center of the row of punches which normally comprises twelve punches, each of which is arranged to permit the punching of a perforation in one of the twelve recording positions of each column of a standard record card.

A return bar 27 is disposed behind the row of punches and is fast at each of its ends with levers 28 disposed symmetrically about the axis X-Y of FIG. 2, only one of these levers being shown in this figure. Each lever 28 is adapted to pivot about a fixed pin 29 fast with the frame of the machine and provided with a roller 30 mounted on a shaft 31 so as to roll against the periphery of an actuating cam 32 keyed on the driving shaft 24 and driven by the latter so as to actuate the return bar 27. The rollers 21 and 30 are applied against their respective cams under the action of return springs or by other appropriate means (not shown). The described mechanism is designed for use in different positions, i.e., in such manner that the punches may be situated in the mechanism in a mean position in which they are substantially vertical, horizontal or inclined in one direction or the other. For this purpose, there is provided a fixed abutment plate 33 which may consist of acetal resin and which is arranged to prevent the active portion of a punch, i.e., the perforating portion, from leaving the guide plates 6 and 7 when any one of the punches is extracted from the die under the action of the restoring bar 17 The described mechanism is also provided with monitoring means for checking the effective actuation of the selected punches. Associated with each punch is a piezo-electric transducer 35 which is fixed in the frame of the machine, and one end 36 of which is engaged in a slot 37in each punch, forming a boss or protuberance and adapted to ensure that complete actuation of a punch in a punching operation displaces the end of a corresponding transducer and sets up along the output wires 38 of the latter an electric pulse which may be transmitted to monitoring devices, for example of a type similar to that described in US. patent application Ser. No. 577,776, filed on the June 15, 1966. In the diagram of FIG. 3, the curve PC indicates the movements of the depression bar 16 and of the restoring bar 17, both of which are fast with the movable support 18, which is actuated by the cam 23. These bars are shifted from an upper dead-center position PMH to a lower dead-center position PMB in the course of the successive cycles of the machine, of which three successive cycles C1, C2, and C3 are shown at least partly in FIG. 3. The heads of the punches which have been brought into the active position by the bar 27 are engaged between the bars 16 and 17, between which a clearance J is provided (FIGS. 2 and 3), which facilitates the engagement of the punch heads between the bars, but causes a slight delay both in the rise and in the descent and a reduction in the amplitude of the movement of the punches in relation to the movement of the bars which is represented by the curve PC in FIG. 3. The height of the card passage at the level of the punches is represented by a height H in relation to the curve PC which substantially represents the movement of the perforating portion of the punches between the upper level of the card passage and the upper level of the punching die. The thickness E corresponds to the relative thickness of a card engaged in the said guide passage.

The times T1, T2, and T3 indicate in the diagram of FIG. 3 the maximum duration provided in each cycle for an actual perforating operation, i.e., the time for which a punch may be engaged in a card.

It is obvious that the card-advancing means are so designed as to advance the cards through the perforating mechanism in the time elapsing between two successive perforating operations. The curve R of FIG. 3 indicates the movements of the return bar 27, of which the leading edge, which is intermittently in contact with the punches, is shifted between a downstream deadcenter point PAV and an upstream dead-center point PAM in the course of the successive cycles of the machine under the action of the cams 32 which act on the levers 28 disposed at the ends of the bar 27. In the position PAV, the return bar 27 maintains all the punches situated in the inoperative position, in each cycle, in the immediate neighborhood of the armatures of their respective electromagnets, each punch being retained in this position since its corresponding electromagnet is energized. Any punch whose selecting electromagnet has been de-energized is brought into the active punching position at P2 (FIG. 1) or at PAC (FIG. 3) under the action of a spring 10 which bears against the bar 27, until its reaches the bottom of a slot in the guide plate 9. Thereafter, the bar 37 continues its movement as far as the upstream deadcenter position PAM.

The actuating cams 23 and 32 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 have been given a form adapted to produce four punching cycles per revolution of the shaft 24, but under these conditions the said shaft must rotate at 2,400 r.p.m. for a punching frequency of cycles per second. In FIGS. 1 and 2, the position of the members of the punching mechanism corresponds to instant 53 of the diagram of FIG. 3. This instant occurs at the beginning of a cycle in the course of which one or more punches have been brought into the active perforating position and the return bar 27 leaves this punch or these punches then in the slots in the guide plate 9, and proceeds as far as its upstream dead-center position PAM. In the lower part of the diagram of FIG. 3, there is represented by a partly hatched strip CR the time during which the current is normally established in the electromagnets (hatched part) and then interrupted (unhatched part) in order to show how a punching operation can be controlled during the cycle C2. In this case, the operation of the apparatus in accordance with the diagram of FIG. 3 would be as follows. At the point 50 of the cycle C1, the electromagnet is still energized (hatched part of the strip CR). The movable bars 16 and 17 are at the lower dead-center position, but the punch to be selected is still retained in its inoperative position (P1 in FIG. 1) by its electromagnet and no punching operation takes place during the time T1 of the cycle C1. In order to effect a punching operation in the course of the cycle C2, the current is interrupted in the electromagnet from the instant 51. This advance of the instant of interruption permits correct operation of the apparatus at high speeds even if a delay of the effective instant of interruption occurs and despite a delay in the instant of release of the punch due to hysteresis phenomena.

The bars 16 and 17 move upwards and the selected punch, released by its electromagnet, is pushed by its spring into contact with the return bar 27, which brings it at the instant 52 into the inoperative position Pl against the armatures of its electromagnet, which is no longer energized. The bar 27 thereafter accompanies the punch as far as the operative position, allowing the head of the latter to become positioned between the bars 16 and 17 which have reached the upper deadcenter position. In fact, owing to the clearance J provided (FIGS. 1, 2, and 3) between the punch head and the bars 16 and 17, the punch only starts to descend under the action of the bar 16 from the instant 53. At 54, the active end of the punch enters the card passage (curve PC) and at 55 the punch engages the card for a punching operation which will last at most for the time T2 in the course of which the punch descends to PMB and then rises (with a slight delay in relation to the curve PC, due to the clearance) and leaves the card at the latest at the instant 56, when its leaves the card passage in the case where the punch entrains the card in a rising movement. At this instant, the punch is taken up by the return bar 27 (curve R), which again brings the saidpunch into the inoperative position P1 at the downstream dead-center point PAV of the bar 27, in immediate proximity to the fixed amiatures of the electromagnet at the instant 57. In order to prevent a punching operation in the succeeding cycle (C3), the electromagnet 11 may be energized again at the instant 58, i.e., before the instant 57, when the punch is brought into the inoperative position against its electromagnet. Owing to the fact that each punch is mechanically returned into the inoperative position in each cycle, the current flowing through the electromagnet is only a holding current which is much weaker than an attracting current which would have to attract the punch from the operative position to the inoperative position. Consequently, the current employed for holding the pinches is relatively very weak and therefore easy to control. In the case where a punching operation must take place with the same punch in the course of the succeeding cycle C3, the current of the electromagnet already being interrupted at the instant 59, it would be sufficient to maintain the interruption of this current until the instant 60 of the cycle C3. It has been observed that, by reason of the absence of any interposed member between the depression bar and the punches, the number of parts to be selectively moved is minimized. This renders possible a rapidity of operation which has until now rarely been obtained and contributes to reducing the cost of manufacture and assembly. Finally, this high rapidity of operation also results from the lightness of each punch, of which the maximum cross-section cannot exceed the surface of one perforation.

It is obvious that the embodiment which has been schematically described has no limiting character and that certain modifications and adaptions could be made in accordance with the requirements and applications without departing from the scope of the invention.

lclaim:

l. A punching mechanism for punching a record card or tape which is advanced step-by-step past a punching die, said mechanism comprising:

a punch-depressing bar actuated by motor-driven means with a reciprocating movement towards and away from said die in a plane substantially perpendicular to the latter;

punch-guiding means;

a series of punches, one end of each of which is maintained by said guide means opposite a correspond ing hole in said die;

a series of springs, each of which is associated with one of said punches in order to bring it into an operative position in said perpendicular plane;

and a series of normally energized electromagnets each arranged in proximity to an associated punch in order to maintain the latter in an inoperative position in which it is inclined in relation to said perpendicular plane, any one of said electromagnets being de-energized under selective control so that the corresponding punches are brought by the associated spring into said operative position in which the other ends of said punches are engageable by said depression bar.

2. Punching mechanism according to claim 1, wherein a return bar is actuated with a reciprocating movement by said motor-driven members in a direction substantially parallel to said die, said bar being arranged to bring into said inoperative position any one of said punches after they have been brought into said operative position and actuated.

3. Punching mechanism according to claim 2, wherein the pole pieces of said electromagnets are dimensioned and arranged in such manner that each of them serves as an abutment for the other end of the associated punch and to define said inoperative position.

4. Cyclically operating punching mechanism for punching a record card which is advanced step-by-step past a punching die, said mechanism comprising:

a punch-depressing bar actuated by a reciprocating movement by motor-driven driving members such that said bar is displaced towards said die during a first part of an operating cycle;

first punch-guiding means;

second punch-guiding means;

a plurality of punches of elongate form, one end of each of which is maintained by said first guide means opposite a corresponding hole in said die;

a plurality of springs, each of which is associated with one of said punches in order to bring it into an operative position limited by said second guide means in a plane perpendicular to said die;

and a plurality of normally energized electromagnets in which each electromagnet has pole pieces arranged in proximity to the other end of the associated one of said punches in order to maintain the latter in an inoperative position in which it is inclined and partially outside said perpendicular plane, one or several of said electromagnets being de-energized under selective control so that, for each derenergized electromagnet, the corresponding punch is'brought by the associated spring into said operative position in which the other end of said punch is engaged by said depression bar when the latter moves towards said die.

5. Punching mechanism according to claim 4, comprising a return bar operatively connected to said driving members, which are arranged to' impart to said bar a substantially transverse reciprocating movement in said perpendicular plane and such that in the second part of an operating cycle said return bar brings into the inoperative position said punch or punches which has/ have been brought into the operative position.

6. A punching mechanism for punching marks on a record which is advanced underneath comprising:

a plurality of elongated punches;

means for driving said plurality of elongated punches in a downward path toward said record advancing underneath; and,

means for positioning said plurality of elongated punches within the downward path of said driving means comprising means for magnetically retaining said plurality of punches in a first position outside the downward path of said driving means, means for biasing said plurality of elongated punches into a second position within the downward path of said driving means, and means for selectively deactivating said magnetic retaining means so that said biasing means moves said elongated punches into the second position within the downward path of said driving means.

7. The punching mechanism of claim 6 further comprising:

means for repositioning said elongated punches back to the first position outside the downward path of said driving means so that said magnetic retaining means when activated holds the elongated punches in the first position outside the downward path of said driving means.

8. The punching mechanism of claim 7 wherein said means for magnetically retaining said plurality of punches comprises a series of electromagnets each including at least one pole piece for magnetically holding each of said plurality of elongated punches when each of said plurality of elongated punches are in the first position outside the downward path of said driving means.

9. The punching mechanism of claim 8 wherein said means for biasing said plurality of elongated punches comprises a plurality of leaf springs each of which is in flexed contact with a corresponding elongated punch so as to move the elongated punch into the second position within the downward path of said driving means when said means for magnetically retaining said plurality of punches is deactivated by said deactivating means.

10. A punching mechanism for punching marks on a record which is advancing underneath comprising:

a plurality of electromagnets including a plurality of armatures each with at least one magnetic end aligned in a first plane;

a plurality of elongated punches, each normally held by magnetic force contact with at least one of the magnetic ends of one of said plurality of armatures in th? first lane;

means or se ectively deactivating at least one of said plurality of electromagnets so that said corresponding elongated punch is released and free to move away from the first plane;

means for aligning said released, elongated punches in a second plane; and

means for driving said released and aligned elongated punches in the second plane downwardly toward said record advancing underneath.

11. The punching mechanism of claim 10 further comprising means for biasing said released, elongated punches toward said aligning means.

12. The punching mechanism of claim 11 wherein said means for biasing said plurality of elongated punches comprises a plurality of leaf springs each of which is in flexed contact with a corresponding elongated punch so as to move the elongated punch into engagement with said aligning means when the corresponding electromagnet is deactivated by said deactivating means.

13. The punching mechanism of claim ll further comprising:

means for cyclically moving said driving means including a first cam contour engaging said driving means; and

means for cyclically moving said aligning means including a second cam contour phase leading said first cam contour and engaging said aligning means so that said aligning means causes said released, elongated punch to be aligned within the second plane prior to said first cam contour moving said driving means downwardly toward said record.

14. The punching mechanism of claim 13 further comprising:

means for cyclically returning said driven, elongated punches to a position above said record advancing underneath.

15. The punching mechanism of claim 14 wherein the rise of said second cam contour positions said aligning means so that said returned, elongated punches contact at least one magnetic end of a corresponding armature in the first plane. 

1. A punching mechanism for punching a record card or tape which is advanced step-by-step past a punching die, said mechanism comprising: a punch-depressing bar actuated by motor-driven means with a reciprocating movement towards and away from said die in a plane substantially perpendicular to the latter; punch-guiding means; a series of punches, one end of each of which is maintained by said guide means opposite a corresponding hole in said die; a series of springs, each of which is associated with one of said punches in order to bring it into an operative position in said perpendicular plane; and a series of normally energized electromagnets each arranged in proximity to an associated punch in order to maintain the latter in an inoperative position in which it is inclined in relation to said perpendicular plane, any one of said electromagnets being de-energized under selective control so that the corresponding punches are brought by the associated spring into said operative position in which the other ends of said punches are engageable by said depression bar.
 2. Punching mechanism according to claim 1, wherein a return bar is actuated with a reciprocating movement by saiD motor-driven members in a direction substantially parallel to said die, said bar being arranged to bring into said inoperative position any one of said punches after they have been brought into said operative position and actuated.
 3. Punching mechanism according to claim 2, wherein the pole pieces of said electromagnets are dimensioned and arranged in such manner that each of them serves as an abutment for the other end of the associated punch and to define said inoperative position.
 4. Cyclically operating punching mechanism for punching a record card which is advanced step-by-step past a punching die, said mechanism comprising: a punch-depressing bar actuated by a reciprocating movement by motor-driven driving members such that said bar is displaced towards said die during a first part of an operating cycle; first punch-guiding means; second punch-guiding means; a plurality of punches of elongate form, one end of each of which is maintained by said first guide means opposite a corresponding hole in said die; a plurality of springs, each of which is associated with one of said punches in order to bring it into an operative position limited by said second guide means in a plane perpendicular to said die; and a plurality of normally energized electromagnets in which each electromagnet has pole pieces arranged in proximity to the other end of the associated one of said punches in order to maintain the latter in an inoperative position in which it is inclined and partially outside said perpendicular plane, one or several of said electromagnets being de-energized under selective control so that, for each de-energized electromagnet, the corresponding punch is brought by the associated spring into said operative position in which the other end of said punch is engaged by said depression bar when the latter moves towards said die.
 5. Punching mechanism according to claim 4, comprising a return bar operatively connected to said driving members, which are arranged to impart to said bar a substantially transverse reciprocating movement in said perpendicular plane and such that in the second part of an operating cycle said return bar brings into the inoperative position said punch or punches which has/have been brought into the operative position.
 6. A punching mechanism for punching marks on a record which is advanced underneath comprising: a plurality of elongated punches; means for driving said plurality of elongated punches in a downward path toward said record advancing underneath; and, means for positioning said plurality of elongated punches within the downward path of said driving means comprising means for magnetically retaining said plurality of punches in a first position outside the downward path of said driving means, means for biasing said plurality of elongated punches into a second position within the downward path of said driving means, and means for selectively deactivating said magnetic retaining means so that said biasing means moves said elongated punches into the second position within the downward path of said driving means.
 7. The punching mechanism of claim 6 further comprising: means for repositioning said elongated punches back to the first position outside the downward path of said driving means so that said magnetic retaining means when activated holds the elongated punches in the first position outside the downward path of said driving means.
 8. The punching mechanism of claim 7 wherein said means for magnetically retaining said plurality of punches comprises a series of electromagnets each including at least one pole piece for magnetically holding each of said plurality of elongated punches when each of said plurality of elongated punches are in the first position outside the downward path of said driving means.
 9. The punching mechanism of claim 8 wherein said means for biasing said plurality of elongated punches comprises a plurality of leaf springs each of which is in flexed contAct with a corresponding elongated punch so as to move the elongated punch into the second position within the downward path of said driving means when said means for magnetically retaining said plurality of punches is deactivated by said deactivating means.
 10. A punching mechanism for punching marks on a record which is advancing underneath comprising: a plurality of electromagnets including a plurality of armatures each with at least one magnetic end aligned in a first plane; a plurality of elongated punches, each normally held by magnetic force contact with at least one of the magnetic ends of one of said plurality of armatures in the first plane; means for selectively deactivating at least one of said plurality of electromagnets so that said corresponding elongated punch is released and free to move away from the first plane; means for aligning said released, elongated punches in a second plane; and means for driving said released and aligned elongated punches in the second plane downwardly toward said record advancing underneath.
 11. The punching mechanism of claim 10 further comprising means for biasing said released, elongated punches toward said aligning means.
 12. The punching mechanism of claim 11 wherein said means for biasing said plurality of elongated punches comprises a plurality of leaf springs each of which is in flexed contact with a corresponding elongated punch so as to move the elongated punch into engagement with said aligning means when the corresponding electromagnet is deactivated by said deactivating means.
 13. The punching mechanism of claim 11 further comprising: means for cyclically moving said driving means including a first cam contour engaging said driving means; and means for cyclically moving said aligning means including a second cam contour phase leading said first cam contour and engaging said aligning means so that said aligning means causes said released, elongated punch to be aligned within the second plane prior to said first cam contour moving said driving means downwardly toward said record.
 14. The punching mechanism of claim 13 further comprising: means for cyclically returning said driven, elongated punches to a position above said record advancing underneath.
 15. The punching mechanism of claim 14 wherein the rise of said second cam contour positions said aligning means so that said returned, elongated punches contact at least one magnetic end of a corresponding armature in the first plane. 